Wrist-watch case



May 3, 1932. D. s. INGRAHAM 1,356,339

WRIST WATCH CASE.

Filed June 5, 1929 Patented May 3, 1932 FATE FFHQE DUDLEY S. INGRAHAM, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE E. INGRAHAMI 00., 0F BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION WRIST-WATCH CASE Application filed June 5,

My invention relates to an improvement in cases for wrist-watches, the object being to provide a simple, compact and attractive wristwatch case constructed with particular reference to convenience of the initial assemblance of the watch and its ready disassemblance for attention to the movement as occasion may require. A further object of my invention is to produce a wrist-watch case in which the main members of the case are frictionally held together and also provide a high degree of efficiency in the matter of the exclusion of dust from the movement.

With these ends in view, my invention con sists in a wrist-watch case comprising an inner and an outer case-member corresponding to each other in form and diiderentiated in size only enough to permit the inner member to be frictionally forced into the outer member and having certain details of construction as will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed outin the claim.

For the illustration of my invention I have shown it as applied to a wrist-watch. of ordinary oblong form having rounded sides and flat ends but my invention is not limited to any particular form.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a wrist-watch case embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view thereof in longitudinal section on an enlarged scale on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in transverse section on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a broken detail sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of the outer member of the Watch-case; and

Fig. 7 is a similar view of the inner member thereof.

In carrying out my invention I employ an outer case-member stamped from a single piece of sheet-metal and comprising two coinplementa-ry rounded side-flanges 10l0, two fiat end-flanges 1111, and a retaining-flange 12 extending inwardly from the outer edges of the said sideand end-flanges and forming the bezel of the watch-case. The said 1929. Serial No. 368,460.

end-flanges 1111 are provided with perforations 18 spaced apart for the reception of the inwardly-turned ends of the two wire strap-loops 141 l which are provided for the reception of the straps by which the watch is held up on the wrist of the user. The ends of the said strap-loops 1a are passed through the perforations 13 and headed down upon the inner faces of the said flanges 1l11. The inner case-member comprises two rounded complementary side-flanges 1515, two flat end-flanges 16-16 and a flat integral bottom 17 integral with the outer edges of the said sideand end-flanges, this inner casemember being just enough smaller in its exterior dimensions to permit it to be telescoped into the outer case-member with a friction dust-excluding fit. Its end-flanges 1616 are formed, as shown, with spaced-apart clearance-notches 18 to clear the headed terminals of the inwardly-turned ends of the two strap-loops 14-1 l. The end-flanges 16-16 are also formed with perforations 19 for the reception of screws (not shown) for the retention of the movement which is installed within the inner case-member but the mode of installation of the movement forms no part of the present invention.

As shown, one of the rounded side-flanges 1515 is formed with a clearance-notch 20 to receive the winding-stem of the watch-movement, the corresponding flange 10 of the outer use-member being furnished with a registering perforation 21 for the same purpose.

As shown, for supplementing the frictional coupling of the two case-members, the two end-flanges 1111 of the outer member are formed near their edges with retaininggrooves 22 receiving ribs 23 struck out from the two end-flanges 16-16 of the inner memher, as clearly shown in 5.

For the retention of the non-breakable crystal 2% in place the depth of the two cupshaped case-members is so proportioned that when they are telescoped together into their home positions, after introducing the said crystal into the bottom of the outer casemem er, the edges of the flat end-flanges 1(316 of the inner case-member engage with the ends of the crystal and force the same against the inner faces of the ends of the retaining or bezel flange 12 of the outer casemember. As shown, the ends of the crystal are set inward to form shoulders 25 against which the end-edges of the retaining-flange or bezel 12 abut, as shown in Fig. 5, but this is not a necessary part of my improvement.

I claim:

In a wrist-watch case, the combination with a cup-shaped one-piece outer case-member of which the sideand end-flanges merge at their outer edges into an integral inwardly-extending bezel; of a cup-shaped one-piece inner case-member of which the sideand endflanges merge at their outer edges into a bottom integral with them, and the said endfianges being formed with clearance-cuts, and the said members being adapted in form and dimensions to permit the inner case-member to be telescoped into the outer case-member, a crystal corresponding in shape to the said members and set within the outer case-member in position to have its ends clamped directly between the inner faces of the ends of the said bezel of the said outer case-member and the inner edges of the end-flanges of the said inner casemember; and outwa1'dlyprojecting strap-loops riveted in the end-flanges of the said outer case-member and also projecting inwardly therethrough and entering the said clearance-cuts in the said inner casemember.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

DUDLEY S. INGRAHAB'L 

